Tireless Italian rescue crews have found more survivors at the now demolished Hotel Rigopiano in the Gran Sasso mountain area of Italy. It was struck by a devastating avalanche on Wednesday.
The search is still ongoing and families are awaiting news of the fate of loved ones.
So far, the rescue has saved nine people who have been pulled from what remains of the hotel. Much of it was levelled by the avalanche scattering debris down the mountain side.
Four people were pulled out alive last night and are now in hospital receiving treatment.
One father who has been awaiting news of his son, reacted angrily following confusion of whether his son, Stefano Feniello and his fiancée Francesca Bronzi were alive.
He said, “What are they doing? They aren’t doing anything. Why didn’t they go get the kids out the night before the disaster?
“Why are they here, taking all the credit. They are disgusting. It is an outrage. I am waiting for three days for my son. They said that my son had been recovered but he hasn’t arrived.”
The rescue efforts have been hampered by heavy snow and earthquakes which struck the region on Wednesday. The blocked roads meant that many guests could not leave the hotel.
Firefighter spokesman Alberto Maiolo said four bodies had been recovered. He said that it is believed 30 people were in the hotel when the avalanche struck.
He said, “We are still working, we are verifying the signals we have and continuing our activities to verify if there are other people and when we will be able to pull them out.”
Among the survivors was the family of Giampiero Parete who moments before had gone to the car to get his wife’s medication when the avalanche struck. The family was reunited when they were found alive.
